9 | Erling Haaland - 2023/24

[donsmoke]

Some people in here need to take a long hard look in a mirror and then slap yourself senseless. We have the best striker possibly to ever have graced the planet and yet here you are

I agree, teams have adapted. However, if you count, in almost every game there are numerous opportunities to play killer through balls (as Haaland is always moving around). Why we don't use these opportunities with the passers we have is astounding. It almost looks like they are intentionally trying to exclude him from the game. It's bizarre

"Best striker possible to ever have graced the planet", mate put your biased glasses off and I definitely don't want to be looking into whatever "mirror" you're talking about.

Best goal scorer doesn't always equate to best striker.

As you've said, players are "intentionally trying to exclude him from the game", I'm sure they have very good reasons for that. These same "players" have been part of us winning 5 PLs in 6 years and I'm sure they know how they've achieved it.

 

[dancity19]

"The goal a game striker only scoring in some big games and not others" is one hell of a ridiculous point. He didn't score in *ANY* of those games because you specifically mentioned the games that he didn't score in.

Not really - the point I’m making is there are a lot of big games he hasn’t done enough in. I’ve tried to limit it to distinctly big games. And there will be more he hasn’t scored in, than has.

If you’re comfortable with his big game return then so be it. I look at that and am a bit disappointed. Feel free to include tough games against good defences or big occasions where he has scored to prove me wrong.

He was brought in to be the difference maker in these kind of games.

I would have expected him to score at least once in one of those games I mentioned…..my point isnt about goals per game, it’s the number of big games he hasn’t scored in or impacted enough.

 

[Moss Side's Finest]

"Best striker possible to ever have graced the planet", mate put your biased glasses off and I definitely don't want to be looking into whatever "mirror" you're talking about.

Best goal scorer doesn't always equate to best striker.

As you've said, players are "intentionally trying to exclude him from the game", I'm sure they have very good reasons for that. These same "players" have been part of us winning 5 PLs in 6 years and I'm sure they know how they've achieved it.

There are no blue tinted glasses here. What Haaland did last season and his goals tally before and since is categoric proof that under the right conditions this guy will score more goals than any other player to have lived. If that doesn't warrant the use of the phrase "best striker" I don't know what does. Using him correctly we could be out of sight in the league already this season. Those looking to blame Haaland in some way for not being passed the ball when he is in playable positions are deluded.I also find it laughable that some of our historic humble fan base now seem to be turning their noses up at a calibre of player the club once could only dream of buying.

 

[supercity88]

Even when he's not in the game or on the ball he's having an impact. Foden's goal last night was thanks to their being so much space because Real's CBs were still concerned about where Haaland was. He was dragging them out of position and out of the game. It's not a huge impact. It would be lovely to see him drop deep, hold the ball up, spin on it and then create chances for himself and others. But fundamentally he's got so much more development to go through before he's going to add that to his game. He's young and improving. And ultimately he scores a shit load of goals and is still a threat when he's not, simply because of what he can do. Rudiger was wrestling him most of the game, so that's one defender out of it. It's up to others to use that space and Foden did.

 

[donsmoke]

There are no blue tinted glasses here. What Haaland did last season and his goals tally before and since is categoric proof that under the right conditions this guy will score more goals than any other player to have lived. If that doesn't warrant the use of the phrase "best striker" I don't know what does. Using him correctly we could be out of sight in the league already this season. Those looking to blame Haaland in some way for not being passed the ball when he is in playable positions are deluded.I also find it laughable that some of our historic humble fan base now seem to be turning their noses up at a calibre of player the club once could only dream of buying.

"Use him correctly"
Professor "Moss Side's Finest", please tell us this "correct" way of using Haaland that Pep hasn't figured out yet, which you mysteriously know

Yes Haaland did break records last season and he deserved to, he's a very special player and no one can take that away from him. My conclusion is still that, he has been figured out and it's up to him to adapt and evolve his game. His goal scoring drought, didn't start this season, you can go back to the end of last season, from about the UCL quarter finals, he was already struggling to score goals.

You can't be the "best striker", if you always rely on service and can't create a goal for yourself.

 

[Haaland94]

He is a young lad and despite smashing various records already, he will improve different aspects of his game over the course of his career. Him not being literally perfect might help us keep him for a longer time. Don't take him for granted. Having said that, I would have put Julian on much earlier last night in his place.

 

[city warrior]

imo erling takes two players to stop him,mark out of the game,would phil and gvardiol had the space for the worldies if julian had been on, imo no, teams drop deep because they are shit scared of erling in behind, leaving that few yards for phil and gvardiol(or whoever) to attack, having a threat like erling allows others a bit more time and space, we saw it when we had robinho , made stephen ireland look class, because he had that extra space and obviously his superman undies :)

Surprise, a forward is marked by CBs. Teams sit deep against us when we were playing with Bernardo or Foden as false 9. That narrative has to stop. Also both Gvardiol and Foden goals have zero to do with Haaland because he was completely static on both, and the positioning of both CBs was the most natural with or without a 9. We can go through both goals and focus on the movement of each individual player if you want, and you'll see.

 

[Gorbachev]

He is going to have to adjust his game next season for sure, that will be his project over the summer whilst everyone is at the Euros.

I think one of the biggest factors this season was the changeup in the style of play by team, especially in attack. Grealish has been in and out, De Bruyne not fit for half a season, Doku not being Mahrez equivalent and Nunes/Kovacic not on par with Gundogan.

Add in that 2 month injury period and it's just been a season where he has never had the chance to get going.

For me, Haaland is a momentum player..get the team playing consistently the same whilst feeding him chances with similar patterns of play to score and he will hoover up week after week. Chopping and changing the team and he is second guessing where to run and where to be all the time.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I was curious if I was just imagining us passing the ball less to him or if it was just confirmation bias so I had a look on FBref and found the following:

Progressive passes received
2021/22 Dortmund - 6.45 which was 46th percentile

2022/23 City - 4.91 which was 33rd percentile

2023/24 City - 4.41 which is the 20th percentile

Touches in opposition box
2021/22 Dortmund - 7.02 which was 97th percentile

2022/23 City - 7.05 which was 92nd percentile

2023/24 City - 6.17 which is the 82nd percentile

I think his finishing, especially earlier in the season has been worse than last year but it certainly looks like we are creating less and less. This tallies with us being outscored by both Liverpool and Arsenal which never happens.

Is it the lack of Gundogan or Kevin's injuries? The lack of any real goal threat from out wide?

good analysis. Its all of the above. Now Jack is back to his normal standards maybe we may see an uptick. Whilst Phil is having his best season for sure, one thing he can still add is how to feed Haaland. He is all about short fast passing on the edge of the box with similarly technically gifted footballers. He is twice as likely to score a goal than to assist. Kev is four times more likely to assist than to score.

When you think about it, where are our goal chances coming from this season? Kev clearly when fit. Not Doku/Nunes/Kova. i wouldn't be surprised if Rodri is next best.

 

[city warrior]

"The goal a game striker only scoring in some big games and not others" is one hell of a ridiculous point. He didn't score in *ANY* of those games because you specifically mentioned the games that he didn't score in.

He mentioned SF and F games, and games against our main PL competition. That's 8 games!! But sure, let's include Tottenham and Villa too who are 4th and 5th. Still no goals. That's 11 matches (and he didn't play FA Cup away which we actually won either way) against the toughest teams with no goals!! You have to ggo to the 6th place (United) for him to have scored.